May the mumbling commence!
To whom do we listen… to the voice of experience and the
vulnerable or the voice of youthful desire?
As a young person, it is not an easy question to answer. We will have to live longer with our peers
than our elders. When we are young, we
feel invincible. Nothing can stop us
from getting what we want!
These must have been the thoughts of Rehoboam and his
young counselors when approached by the people of Israel to receive more lenient
treatment. Read from First Kings chapter
twelve:
“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and the
heavy taxes that your father imposed on us.
Then we will be your loyal subjects.”
Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.” So the people went away.
Then Rehoboam went to discuss the matter with the
older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”
The older counselors replied, “If you are willing to
serve these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be
your loyal subjects.”
But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and
instead asked the opinion of the young
men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers. “What is
your advice?” he asked them. “How should
I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”
The young men replied, “This
is what you should tell those complainers ‘My little finger is thicker than my
father’s waist – if you think he was harsh on you, just wait and see what I’ll
be like! Yes, my father used whips on
you, but I will use scorpions’!” (Verses 4-11)
Rehoboam gave time for thought. He was even willing to ask advice from his
elders. But I wonder if Rehoboam already
had his mind made up.
He rejected the advice of the elder counselors. He went to his friends and followed his
passions. Did his passions come from
Rehoboam or did Rehoboam find his passions through the peer pressure of his
friends? It is a question that we never will
know the answer to. But we can dig and
discover where we find our passions. May
we always and ever get them from the Lord!
May we always and ever be open to learning new things
through our brothers and sisters in Christ and from the Holy Spirit of
God. Much like Apollos did – even though
he was already quite attuned to the Scriptures. Read a portion of his story
from Acts chapter eighteen:
Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well,
had just arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord and
talked to others with great enthusiasm and accuracy about Jesus. However, he knew only about John’s
baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in
the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God more
accurately.
Apollos had been
thinking about going to Achaia, and the
brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him in this. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking
them to welcome him. When he arrived
there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had
believed. He refuted all the Jews with
powerful arguments in public debate. Using
the Scriptures, he explained to them, “The Messiah that you are looking for is
Jesus.” (Verses
24-28)
Apollos was open to learning more. He knew he didn’t have all the answers. He learned from Priscilla and Aquila. But Apollos did not allow his incomplete
knowledge keep him from preaching what he did know. May we be as bold and as open to new
learning!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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